Prayer, simply put, is communication with God. Prayer, like other forms of communication, is a two-way street. We have fellowship with our heavenly Father during this process, and our relationship with Him grows stronger.
When we pray, we express our heart’s desires, speak to God in praise, ask for forgiveness and guidance, and show our concern for others.
Here are three biblical ways to a more effective life of prayer:
1. Abide in Him
While we seek God’s help, our actions may be motivated by our own desires and plans for what we think God will do for us.
God wants to be in a stronger relationship with you than you are with him. The pattern found in the Bible is that He will help you if you put His plan first.
Christian author and speaker Andrew Wommack says, “the heart attitude behind your prayer interests God much more than the actual words you say.”
2. Faith Is Key
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)
An essential ingredient for answered prayers is to pray with confidence, relying on what God’s Word says and not what we see.
In Mark, chapter 11, Jesus teaches how to rely on God’s Word when we pray. He provides a vivid example of how to trust God’s Word. He curses the fig tree. He speaks to the tree and gets the desired result; it dries up.
While His words seemed to indicate that the tree would die, the disciples watched. They did not see in their minds the words of Jesus take place–that the tree would die. In fact, the tree was still alive and green.
Later, the disciples asked Jesus how it happened that the tree was dead when they saw that nothing had happened to it. He replied, “Have you so little faith? Then what is the meaning of the eight baskets of leftovers you left?” (Mark 11:22-23)
In other words, Jesus was saying, “You saw the tree, but you didn’t see what I said would happen to it. You have to have faith that God keeps His Word. If you have the faith of a mustard seed, you can move mountains.”
3. Look to Jesus
Jesus is teaching all believers to pray in His name. It is not our name that accomplishes what we ask, but His Name.
Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does.
Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.
Moreover, the Father judges no one but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:19-24)
When Jesus is the center of our prayer life, we will begin to pray prayers that echo His heart and desires more and more, and this glorifies the Father.
Conclusion
Prayer is not just an activity but a lifestyle for every believer. Being persistent in prayer is one of the best ways to overcome obstacles that come your way. Knowing that your only part is to believe—believe in God, His Word, and the power of Jesus’ Name—is such an amazing revelation of God’s grace towards us. We simply believe, and He adds the supernatural to our natural and the miraculous to our mundane.
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